Guest feature: Richard Scher is the director of communications for the Maryland Port Administration. Follow the Port onFacebookandTwitter.

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore's public and private marine terminals handled 38.4 million tons of cargo in 2017, the most since 1979 and the third-highest tonnage in its history. This record comes on the heels of a record 2017 year for the Port's state-owned public marine terminals.

"The Port of Baltimore continues to be a leading economic engine for our state, supported by tens of thousands of hard-working Marylanders," said Governor Larry Hogan. "The Port is a great example of our Administration's commitment to ensuring that Maryland remains Open for Business."

The 38.4 million tons of cargo handled last year was valued at $53.9 billion. The cargo tonnage fell just behind the record of 40.9 million tons in 1974 and 38.5 million tons in 1979.

The Hogan Administration recently announced that last year the Port's public marine terminals, managed by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration, had a record year by handling 10.7 million tons of general cargo. It was the second consecutive year for more than 10 million tons of general cargo from the public terminals. General cargo includes autos and light trucks, containers, roll on/roll off (farm, mining and construction equipment), forest products (rolled paper and wood pulp) and breakbulk cargo. Included in the general cargo number was a record 596,972 containers, an 11 percent jump from the previous record set in 2016.

Business at the Port of Baltimore generates about 13,650 direct jobs, while about 127,600 jobs in Maryland are linked to Port activities. The Port is responsible for nearly $3 billion in personal wages and salary and more than $300 million in state and local tax revenues. Learn more.